Rum & Bones: Second Tide
Rum & Bones: Second Tide Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Credits
- Components
- Game Overview
- Setup
- Heroes and Skills
- The Crew
- Tide Cards
- Score Dashboard
- The Game Board
- Objectives
- Measuring Ranges
- Combat Basics
- The Game Round
- Activating a Hero
- Activating Crew
- Passing
- Unleash the Kraken!
- Recovery Phase
- Alternate Ship Layouts
- Playing with 3 to 6 Players
- Alternate Game Modes
- Bait, Switch, & Bloody Piracy
- Deep Lords Hero Bios
- Marea de la Muerte Hero Bios
- Rules Summary
Credits
GAME DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT: Michael Shinall
ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Landon Doeckle, Alexandru Olteanu
CREATIVE DIRECTION: Jose Manuel Palomares
CONCEPT ART: Ivan Gil Dernandez, Adrian Prado Lopez, Pedro Nunez
WRITING: Eric Kelley, Bryan Steele
PROOFING: Jason Koepp, Shaughn Fowlkes, Lucas Martini, Jared Miller
GRAPHIC DESIGN: Sean Chancey, Goulven Quentel
GAME BOARD DESIGN: Adrian Prado
SCULPTING: Hugo Gomez Briones, Joaquin Palacios, Raul Fernandez Romo, Leonardo Escobar Quintero, Alexjando Muñoz
SCULPTING MANAGER: Ivan Santurio de la Uz
PAINTING: Jose Manuel Palomares, Sergio Calvo, Marc Masclans, Miguel Matias, Pedro Souto, Andrian Sanchez Valero
PAINTING MANAGER: Ruben Martinez
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: David Preti
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Thiago Aranha
PUBLISHERS: David Doust, Chern Ann Ng
PLAYTESTING: Thiago Aranha, Jason Blackstock, Sean Chancey, Jacqueline Clark, Sean Dooley, Shaughn Fowlkes, Alex Gregorie, Eric Kelley, Jason Koepp, Gavin Lee, Chris Linton, Anthony Livsey, Lucas Martini, Alexandru Olteanu, Andrew Persaud, Raymond Rappaport, Casey Sears, Peter Shirey, Terry Terman, Jessie Thomas, Amanda Watson, Jamie Wolff, Jeff Yu.
© 2016 CMON Productions Limited. No part of this product may be reproduced without specific permission. Rum & Bones is a trademark of CMON Global Limited. CoolMiniOrNot, the CoolMiniOrNot logo and the CMON logo are registered trademarks of CMON Global Limited. All rights reserved. Actual components may vary from those shown. Figures and plastic components included are pre-assembled and unpainted. Made in China.
THIS PRODUCT IS NOT A TOY. NOT INTENDED FOR USE OF PERSONS 13 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER.
Components
- 10 Deep Lord Bases (2 Sizes)
- 10 Marea de la Muerte Bases (2 Sizes)
- 35 Deep Lord Models: 5 Heroes, 6 Bosuns, 24 Deckhands
- 35 Marea de la Muerte Models: 5 Heroes, 6 Bosuns, 24 Deckhands
- 60 Tide Cards
- 10 Hero Dashboards & 2 Crew Dashboards
- 10 Objective Tiles
- 2 Sea Creature Dashboards
- 32 Skill Cards
- 1 Sea Dragon Tile
- 1 Kraken Tile
- 3 Gangplank Tiles
- 8 Six-Sided Dice
- 12 Activation Tokens
- 7 Deployment Point Tokens
- 50 Coin Tokens (Values 1 and 3)
- 10 Dead Man's Tokens
- 36 Damage Tokens (Values 1 and 3)
- 15 Condition Tokens
- 1 Deep Lords Ship Board
- 2 Marea de la Muerte Ship Boards
- 1 Score Dashboard
- 5 Score Dashboard Tokens
Game Overview
Rum & Bones: Second Tide is a game of pirate adventure and swashbuckling action! In it, players take control of mighty pirate crews clashing in head-to-head fights, all in an attempt to wreak enough havoc on your opponent's ship to force them to surrender!
Your crew ranges from lowly deckhands to powerful heroes, each with their own unique powers and abilities. It's up to you to coordinate the attack and utilize your heroes' various skills to crush your enemies.
Once the game begins, players will take turns activating their Heroes and crew, attacking the enemy ship while trying to earn 8 Victory Points by eliminating enemy Heroes and destroying key parts of your foe's ship.
When a player reaches 8 Victory Points, the game immediately ends and that player is declared the winner!
Here we shall cover the rules for playing a 2 Player game of Rum & Bones. For additional rules on playing games with 3+ players, see Pg. 18.
Setup
Select Faction
Each player must first choose which Faction they wish to play. This game box contains the Deep Lords and Marea de la Muerte Factions, but others are available in expansions! Which Faction a player chooses will determine many things, the most important being the Heroes a player has access to.
Select Heroes
Once a player has selected a Faction, it's now time to choose which Heroes they wish to use. Heroes are the main players of the crew. They're unique characters whose skills and abilities will be used to achieve victory!
When selecting Heroes, the following rules apply:
- Each player must select 3 Heroes.
- A player may only select Heroes belonging to their chosen Faction, or Mercenary Heroes (Heroes that will work for any Faction). Each Hero has a matching Hero Dashboard that will tell you which faction they belong to, or if they are a Mercenary Hero.
- A player may select a team made up entirely of Mercenary Heroes if they wish. However, they must still choose a faction to represent.
- Both sides may use copies of the same hero.
Once a player has selected which Heroes they wish to play, give the matching models for those Heroes to that player. Each player should then place the models into one of the Colored Bases belonging to their faction. This will allow all players to quickly identify which Faction a Hero belongs to when on the game board. Finally, take the matching Hero Dashboards and Skill Cards belonging to your Heroes and place them within reach.
The Crew
In addition to Heroes, each Faction has a crew composed of a number of Deckhand and Bosun models, whose Faction is identified by their color. Deckhands are distinguished by their square bases, while Bosuns have round bases. Each player should take their Faction's Crew Dashboard, as well as all 24 Deckhand and 6 Bosun models belonging to their Faction, and place them within reach.
Take Tide Deck
Each Faction has a matching Tide Deck. The Tide Deck is a deck of thirty cards representing different special powers and abilities unique to that Faction. Tide Decks are identified by the Faction Symbol on the back of their cards. Take the Tide Deck matching your chosen Faction, shuffle it, and place it face-down within your reach.
Populate Game Board
The Game Board for Rum & Bones: Second Tide is represented by 3 pirate Ships connected by 3 Gangplanks - the Deep Lord's Gallant and the two Windcutters belonging to Marea de la Muerte. Each of these Ships has a number of important areas on it, represented by various Objective Tiles and Deployment Tokens. Arrange the Ship Boards with the tiles and tokens placed as shown in the diagram.
Now, take 12 Deckhands from each faction and place 4 of them on each of the following matching Objective Tiles belonging to their faction:
- Deep Lords: Main Mast, Rigging Line, Wheel
- Marea de la Muerte: Captain's Chest, Rigging Line, Wheel
Finally, take the Dice, Damage Tokens, Activation Tokens, Condition Tokens, Dead Man's Tokens, Coins, Sea Creature Dashboards and Tiles and place them within reach of all players. Set up the Score Dashboard nearby, with its tokens on the "zero" spaces (see page 10). Once this is done, setup is complete, and you are ready to begin!
Davy Jones' Treasure
The primary reason pirates take to war is to collect Davy Jones' treasure: mythical coins with vast amounts of power held within. In Rum & Bones, your Heroes will use the magic in these coins to unlock powerful attacks and unique special abilities. These coins are represented by the coin symbol.
Heroes and Skills
Heroes
These will be the primary models that each player will control during the game. Each one is an important figure on your ship's roster. As such, they all have unique skills and powers that set them apart from everyone else. Each Hero has a Matching Hero Dashboard and up to 3 Skill Cards, which show you the various skills and important information about that Hero. While each Hero is unique, they all share some common traits on their Hero Dashboard:
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Faction: This shows what Faction may select that Hero. Remember: Mercenary Heroes can be selected by any Faction.
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Name: This shows the Name of the Hero.
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Role: Each Hero has a Role which works to generally categorize the strengths of each of the Heroes. The five roles are:
- CAPTAIN: Captains are well-rounded Heroes, never the best at anything, but decent in many areas. Captains usually have abilities that aid their fellow Heroes, or allow a player to make better use of their Tide Deck.
- QUARTERMASTER: Quartermasters specialize in supporting not only Heroes, but the Crew as well, often having powerful bolstering and healing effects.
- SWASHBUCKLER: Cunning and deadly, Swashbucklers are the best fighters on the ship. They generally specialize in dealing damage or KO'ing enemy Heroes.
- GUNNER: Ranged combat specialists, Gunners excel at picking off the enemy while safely staying away from the fight.
- BRUTE: The toughest of the crew, Brutes can withstand more damage than any other Hero. Even more impressive, Brutes tend to get deadlier as they take damage.
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Hit Points (HP): Hit Points represent the amount of Damage a Hero can take before being removed from the board.
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Skill Card Slots: Each Hero has up to 3 unique Skills available to them. These represent the various things a Hero can do besides just moving around. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the text of a Hero's Skills always refers to that Hero. There are four types of Skills that can appear on a Hero Card: Attacks, Abilities, Passives, and Reactions.
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Skill Card Cost: Most skills need to be unlocked with coins before they can be used. This number shows how many coins must be spent to gain that Skill. Although rare, some Skills have a cost of 0 to unlock, meaning the Hero starts with them unlocked!
Skill Cards and Their Types
Skill cards represent the unique powers that each hero possesses. Skills come in four types: Attacks, Abilities, Passives, and Reactions. Each of these has their own unique rules, but share some traits in common:
- Type: This symbol shows what kind of skill it is: Attack, Ability, or Reaction. Note that Passive skills will not have a symbol.
- Hero Name: This shows what Hero the Skill belongs to.
- Name: This shows the Name of the Skill.
- Level: All Skills have a Level 1 and a Level 2 version (on the reverse of the card). When purchasing a Skill, be sure that you're buying the Level 1 version before the Level 2!
- Effect: This box will list any special effects of the Skill.
- Level Up Cost: This number shows how much coin must be spent to Level Up the Skill (For information on Leveling Up Skills, see Pg.15).
Attacks
Attacks are the primary way that Heroes deal damage and gain coins. Aside from the common traits of other Skill Cards, Attacks also have the following information:
- Attack Dice: This is the number of dice that are rolled when the Attack is used.
- To Hit: Each die result that equals or exceeds this value is a Hit. Each die result lower than this value is a Miss.
- Range: This indicates how many zones away the Attack can target.
- Effect: Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, all effects of an Attack take place when the Attack is selected, but before dice are rolled.
Basic Attack
With rare exception, all Heroes have a Basic Attack Skill. Heroes always start with their Basic Attack Skill unlocked.
Abilities
Abilities are non-Attack Skills that a Hero can use during their turn. Each is unique, so read their effects carefully!
Reactions
Reactions are similar to Abilities, except that they don't cost an Action and have a specific trigger that says when they can be used. Only Deployed Heroes may use Reaction skills.
- Trigger: Each Reaction Skill will have text that tells you when it can be used.
- Effect: Most Reaction Skills are free to unlock, but have no actual effect until Leveled Up. In addition, most of them "Flip to Level 1" after being used, meaning you'll have to pay to Level Up the Skill again in order to use it!
Passives
Passive Skills do not have cards, but are actually printed on a Hero's Dashboard. Passive Skills are innate powers that do not cost a Hero any coins or actions to perform.
The Crew
In addition to Heroes, each player has a number of Deckhand and Bosuns- low ranking background models mindlessly attacking the enemy. When something refers to "Crew", it refers specifically to Deckhand and Bosun models.
Deckhands
Deckhands are the lowest members of the Crew- faceless grunts that follow Heroes into battle. A player will seldom have any direct control over these models, as their orders are simply to go forth and wreck the enemy ship. With proper orders, however (usually from a Quartermaster Hero) Deckhands can become a deadly force to be reckoned with. Deckhands are KO'd after suffering 1 damage.
Bosuns
Bosuns are low ranking leaders on the ship. Like Deckhands, a player will seldom have any direct control over these models. A Bosun's main purpose is to enhance the Deckhands around them, making them more efficient in combat. Like Deckhands, they are KO'd after suffering 1 damage.
Each Faction has a matching Crew Dashboard. This is a quick-reference card to show the Attack profiles of your Deckhands, Bosuns, and Deck Gun. All Deckhands, Bosuns, and Deck Guns are the same, regardless of Faction, but note that Deck Guns and Bosuns can be upgraded by destroying certain enemy Objectives. If an Objective states to "Upgrade Deck Gun" or "Upgrade Bosun", take the matching Skill Card and place it on the Crew Dashboard, just as if a Hero had Leveled Up a Skill.
Useful Terms
FRIENDLY: When a rule refers to "friendly," it refers to yourself and all pieces under your control. Models may target themselves with effects that target "friendly" models.
ENEMY: When a rule refers to "enemy," it refers to your opponent and all pieces not under your control.
DEPLOYED: This describes a Hero whose model is on the Game Board.
HEAL: When a model is Healed, it removes the amount of damage listed by the skill or card.
KO'D: This describes a Hero who has been defeated by the enemy and is waiting to rejoin the battle. This is marked by placing the Hero, as well as a Dead Man's Token, on top of their Hero Dashboard.
OVERBOARD: This describes a Hero who has been temporarily knocked off the Game Board (but has not been KO'ed!). This usually happens due to an enemy effect or from failing a Rigging Check. This is represented by placing the Hero model laying on its side on top of its Hero Dashboard.
PUSH: When an effect or card says to "Push" a model, it is forcibly moved the number of zones listed on the effect or card. There is no restriction on the direction a model is Pushed. A model that is Pushed must follow normal movement rules, with the exception that it can be forced Overboard by being moved into a Sea Zone.
WITHIN: When an effect or card says "within" a given range (such as "within 2 zones"), that effect may target any zone in the listed range, including the zone the effect is originating from.
Tide Cards
Each faction has a unique deck of 30 Tide Cards. A Faction's Tide Deck is identified by the Faction Symbol on the back of the cards. Tide Cards are valuable resources, each one representing a minor power or effect that you can call upon. Each Tide Card has the following:
- Name: The name of the Tide Card.
- Trigger: Each Tide Card lists when it can be played. In the case of Tide Cards that read "When a Hero Attacks", that card must be played when the Attack is declared, but before dice are rolled.
- Effect: This describes the special effects of the Tide Card.
- Kraken Symbols: Some Tide Cards have 1 or more Kraken symbols on them. This symbol means that by using the power, one might draw the ire of the Kraken - causing him to attack. But such is the price of power! (See Pg. 17 for more details.)
Players each start the game with Three Tide Cards, and will draw more as the game goes on. A player can play any number of Tide Cards from their hand at any time, assuming the proper Trigger for those Tide Cards has been met. Playing a Tide Card does not cost any actions or coins - simply play the card then place it in your discard pile.
Be warned, however! If a Tide Card with a Kraken symbol is played, you must increase your Kraken Pool by that much! Raise your total on the Score Dashboard by that amount.
NOTE: Cards discarded from your hand (not played) do not increase your Kraken Pool. Only Tide Cards that have been played may increase the Kraken Pool!
If your Tide Deck ever runs out, reshuffle your discard pile to create a new Tide Deck.
Sea Monster Attack!
Each deck has access to a special Tide Card called "Sea Monster Attack!" Unlike other Tide Cards, this one summons a powerful monster to aid your team. When it is played, select 1 available Sea Monster (The Sea Dragon in the only Sea Monster in the Core Box, but others are available in expansions!) and deploy it as instructed on its matching Dashboard. Each Sea Monster may only be summoned once, and remains in play until KO'd. When it is KO'd, it gives coins just like a Hero would, and awards 1 Victory Point. (For more information on Sea Monsters, see Pg. 16)
Score Dashboard
The Score Dashboard allows players to quickly and easily keep track of Victory Points, Kraken Pools, and who is the First Player by moving the appropriate tokens on it.
- Victory Points: Each time a player gains a Victory Point, increase this tracker. Remember: The first player to 8 Victory Points wins the game!
- Kraken Pools: This tracker represents the ire of Davy Jones' legendary monster, The Kraken. This track is usually increased by playing Tide Cards.
- First Player: The first player gets the first activation each round. This will help you keep track of who that is.
The Game Board
The Game Board has a number of important areas:
- Zones: The Game Board is composed of a number of squares known as Zones. These Zones determine model location, how far a model can move, and are used to determine the range of Skills and effects.
- Sea Zones: These zones are not accessible by models controlled by the players. They are marked by a having a dash-marked outline.
- Deployment Points: Deployment Points are zones marked by a special token. These are the places where a player's Heroes, Deckhands, and Bosuns will enter the game board. Enemy Heroes may move over, but may never end on, a Deployment Point.
- Objective Tiles: Objectives Tiles are special tiles which represent important areas and creatures. Destroying Objectives grants great rewards to your Heroes, as well as Victory Points, which are used to win the game. There are two types of Objectives: Deck Features, which are the structures of the enemy ship, and Sea Monsters, which are summoned denizens of the deep that can be KO'd to claim rewards.
Deck Features
Unlike Deployment Points, you can freely move onto zones containing enemy Deck Features! A good tactic to remember is to move into their zone, allowing you to attack it freely without the enemy being able to block you!
Legal Zones
A Legal Zone is any Zone that is not a Sea Zone or a zone that is occupied by enemy models or Deployment Points.
Objectives
Each Objective has the following information:
- HP: This is how much damage the Objective can suffer before being destroyed.
- Victory Points: How many Victory Points are awarded for destroying this Objective.
- Coin Reward: When an Objective is destroyed, each Hero belonging to the player who destroyed that Objective gains the number of coins listed on that Objective.
- Effect: When an Objective is destroyed, it may grant a powerful effect. This effect is resolved immediately when the Objective is destroyed.
Measuring Ranges
When a Skill or effect lists a range, it is always measured in Zones. Measurement is always done from the Zone the Skill or effect originated from. Diagonal Zones may NEVER be used when measuring range, only orthogonal Zones! To see if a Zone is in range of a Skill or effect, do the following:
- Select the Zone that the Skill or effect is originating from.
- Beginning with any orthogonal Zone next to the originating Zone, count the number of Zones to the target Zone.
- A Skill or effect may ALWAYS target a Zone within its range - models and tiles DO NOT block or inhibit this in any way.
- Sea Zones may be used to determine range. But remember, Heroes cannot voluntarily enter Sea Zones - they are primarily used to measure range!
Example: Kyria has an attack with a range of 3. Measuring from her Zone across to the other ship, she sees her attack could reach all the way to either Zones A or B, but could not target Zone C, as it is 4 away.
Combat Basics
Damaging and KO'ing
Each Model and Objective has a number of Hit Points (HP). These represent the overall health of the Model/Objective.
A model's HP will always be listed on its matching Dashboard. Objectives list their HP on their Tile. Remember that Deckhands and Bosuns only have 1 HP!
Whenever a Model or Objective is damaged, place a number of Damage Tokens on it equal to the amount of damage it suffered. Whenever a Model or Objective has an amount of Damage Tokens equal to or greater than its HP, it is immediately removed from the game board. This is known as KO'ing the Model or Objective.
- When an Objective is KO'd, remove it from the game board.
- When Crew (Deckhands and Bosuns) are KO'd, remove them from the game board and place them within reach of their controlling player.
- When a Hero is KO'd, remove all Damage and Condition Tokens from its Dashboard and place its model on its Dashboard. If the Hero has already activated this round, place 1 Dead Man's Coin on that Hero with the coin side facing up. If that Hero has NOT activated this round, place 1 Dead Man's Coin on that Hero with the coin side facing up. When a Hero is KO'd, they retain all coins they have, as well as all unlocked Skills.
Attacking Models and Objectives
The enemy isn't just going to sit back and let you wreck their ship! This means you'll need to use brute force and cunning to remove them from your way!
Attacking is the primary way Models and Objectives suffer damage. While all Attacks are unique, they all follow a few basic rules:
Targeting: Attacks always target entire Zones, never specific Models or Objectives. Whenever an Attack is used it must target a Zone within range containing enemy Models or Objectives. If a zone contains no enemy Models or Objectives it may not be targeted by the attack.
Rolling the Attack: Each attack lists how many Dice it rolls, as well as a To Hit number. When an attack is used, roll the number of dice listed. Each die result that equals or exceeds the To Hit number is a Hit. Each result that fails to equal or exceed the To Hit number is a Miss.
After the dice have been rolled and the number of Hits determined, these Hits are assigned to enemy Models and Objectives in the targeted zone. Hits are not assigned freely, however! They must be assigned in the following priority order:
1. Deckhands 2. Bosuns 3. Heroes 4. Objectives
- Unless an Attack specifically tells you it may prioritize a target, Hits must be assigned to targets on the first priority level until they have all been KO'd before assigning Hits to targets on the next priority level. Example: Usually, all Deckhands in a zone must be KO'd before a Bosun may be targeted, and all Bosuns before Heroes may be targeted.
- If multiple enemies on the same priority level are in the same zone (such as two enemy Heroes), the attacker may freely distribute Hits among these enemies as they see fit.
- All Hits must be assigned if possible- an attacker cannot hold back!
- A roll of a blank result on a die is always a Miss.
Assigning Dice, Hits, and Damage
Unless specifically noted otherwise in the effect, Hits always cause 1 damage. It is also very important to remember that Hits are assigned to Models/Objectives, not damage. Meaning that, for example, if a Hit caused 2 Damage, but is assigned to a model with 1 HP, the remaining damage would not spill over to other enemies.
Example: Carcharius' Feeding Frenzy attack generates extra dice for every Hit of 5+. When rolling these extra dice, further Hits of 5+ would not generate additional dice.
Timing Conflicts
Sometimes multiple effects or Skills will take place at the same time. Whenever such a conflict happens, the player whose turn it is decides the order in which these effects take place.
Modifiers, Adding Additional Dice, and Re-rolls
- Sometimes an effect or Skill will give an Attack a bonus or penalty To Hit (usually +1 or -1 To Hit). These modifiers apply to the result of the roll, but do not actually change the result of the die, meaning that if an effect triggered "On a Hit of [6]", giving a roll of [5]+1 To Hit would not trigger that effect- it just merely changes the number needed for a roll to count as a Hit.
- Sometimes an effect or Skill will allow a number of dice to be re-rolled. When a die is re-rolled, the old result is discarded and the new result is used for all purposes. Though effects and Skills may allow multiple dice to be re-rolled during a single action, each player may never re-roll a die more than once.
- Some Skills and effects add additional dice if certain results are rolled. As a general rule, extra dice cannot further generate extra dice.
Condition Tokens
There are a number of Conditions a Hero can suffer, usually resulting from enemy Skills. When a Hero suffers a Condition, place 1 matching Condition Token next to that Hero on the game board. As long as the Hero has that Condition Token, it suffers the effects of that Condition, as described below. Conditions are always removed at the end of a Hero's activation, or when that Hero is KO'd.
- BLIND: Hero's Attacks suffer -1 To Hit.
- STUN: Hero must forfeit 1 Action to remove this Token before taking any other action.
- SLOW: Hero may only take 1 Move Action during their turn.
- SILENCE: Hero may not Level Up Skills, and all Skills lose all effects.
- BLEED: Hero suffers 1 damage after each action they make.
Push
When an effect or card says to "Push" a model, it is forcibly moved the number of zones listed on the effect or card. There is no restriction on the direction a model is Pushed. A model that is Pushed must follow normal movement rules, with the exception that it can be forced Overboard by being moved into a Sea Zone. (See Going Overboard, Pg. 14)
The Game Round
Rum & Bones is played over a series of rounds, with individual players taking turns activating one or more models, and then their opponent doing the same, until all models on the board have been activated.
At the start of the game, after setup, both players should roll a die. The player who rolled highest becomes the First Player. Move the First Player marker on the Score Dashboard to their side.
Next, each player should Draw 3 Tide Cards. Now the First Player will take their turn.
On a player's turn, they will do one of the following: Activate a Hero, Activate Crew, or Pass. Once a player has completed one of these three options, their turn ends and their opponent's turn begins. This continues, going back and forth, until both players have Passed.
Activating a Hero
Select 1 of your Heroes who does not have an Activation Token or a Dead Man's Coin. If that Hero is not Deployed, then you will Deploy that Hero by placing them on one of your Deployment Points (this does not cost an Action).
When a Hero activates, they may perform up to 3 Actions. The Actions a Hero may perform are Move, or using a Skill. Once a Hero has completed 3 Actions, their activation ends. Place an Activation Token on that Hero to show they have activated this round. Your opponent's turn will then begin.
Move
When a Hero performs a Move Action, they gain 2 Movement Points to immediately spend. Each of these Movement Points may be spent in two ways:
- Move that Hero into an adjacent legal zone. When moving, Models may never move into or through zones containing enemies, diagonally, into Sea Zones, or end that Move Action on enemy Deployment Points (but remember, you may move through a zone containing an enemy Deployment Point).
- Perform a Rigging Check (see below).
A Hero does not have to spend both Movement Points if they do not wish to. Any unspent Movement Points are lost at the end of the Move Action.
Rigging and Rigging Checks
Sometimes a Hero needs to move from one ship to another very quickly, and doesn't have time to use the Gangplanks. In this case Heroes can use the ropes hanging between ships to quickly jump across. This is known as Rigging.
Rigging is the fastest way to move across the game board, but does carry the risk of your Hero falling Overboard! Rigging is done as part of a Move Action, and costs 1 Movement Point. Meaning a Hero may Rig and then move 1 zone, move 1 zone and then Rig, or, if beginning on a legal Rigging Zone already, Rig from one Ship and then, with their second point of movement, Rig back!
To Rig, a Hero must be in any zone along the edge of a ship facing another ship.
Measure range to the zone that the Hero wishes to Rig to and roll a die. If the number rolled is equal to or higher than the measured range, the Rig is successful and the Hero is placed in the target zone. Rolling this die is known as performing a Rigging Check.
Example: Carcharius wants to Rig to Zone A. After checking range he sees he needs to roll a 4+ to succeed at this Rigging Check. If he wished to Rig to Zone B, he would need to roll a 6! A daring play indeed!
Note that checking range for Rigging is the same as making an Attack, so you can freely measure over Sea Zones, zones containing enemy models, and so forth- the Hero is leaping high over these spaces and not actually moving through them!
If a Hero fails their Rigging Check (by rolling a number lower than the Rigging range) then during their daring leap they slipped and fell into the water below. That Hero is immediately knocked Overboard.
Going Overboard
Some effects, such as failing a Rigging Check, or being Pushed into a Sea Zone by an enemy, can knock models Overboard. When a Hero is knocked Overboard, place its model on its side on top of its Hero Dashboard, and place an Activation Token on the Hero Dashboard. If it was that Hero's turn, their activation immediately ends. Don't worry though, they are only temporarily gone while they climb back onto the ship, and can be re-Deployed in later rounds!
Unfortunately, Deckhands and Bosuns that go Overboard are not so hearty! Any Deckhand or Bosun that goes overboard is immediately KO'd, though if they were knocked Overboard by a Hero, that Hero gains no coins from KO'ing them (see Coins For The Taking below).
Using a Skill
As an Action, a Hero may also employ one of its Skills. Unless it is a Basic Attack Skill, each Skill may only be used by a Hero ONCE during their Activation.
USING AN ATTACK SKILL: When a Hero attacks, it will select and perform one of its Attack Skills. A Hero may use their Basic Attack Skill any number of times per activation, but other Attack Skills are limited to being used once per activation.
USING AN ABILITY SKILL: When a Hero uses an Ability, perform the effects listed on that Ability. Each Ability is unique, so pay close attention to its text for its full effect!
Unlocking and Leveling Up Skills
Skills may be Unlocked and Leveled Up anytime during a Hero's activation. This does not cost an Action. To Unlock or Level Up a Skill, that Hero simply discards the amount of coins listed on their Hero Dashboard (in the case of Unlocking a Skill) or the amount listed on the Level Up icon of the Skill (in the case of Leveling Up a Skill to Level 2).
Coins for the Taking!
- Anytime a Hero KO's an enemy Deckhand or Bosun, they gain 1 coin.
- Anytime a Hero KO's an enemy Hero, they gain 3 coins, and their Faction is awarded 1 Victory Point. Note this coin IS NOT taken from the KO'd enemy, merely awarded to the attacking Hero from the communal pile.
- If a Hero is KO'd by an effect or Attack that did not originate from an enemy Hero (such as Crew Attacking, a Condition, or from a Tide Card) then each enemy Hero gains 1 coin, and their Faction is awarded 1 Victory Point.
Once a Hero has completed 3 Actions, their turn is done. Place an Activation Token on their Dashboard to show they are done for this round. Play then passes to your opponent.
Note that a Hero may always forfeit remaining actions if they wish. They do not need to complete 3 Actions to end their turn!
Activating Crew
Instead of activating a Hero, a player may choose to activate their Crew. Like Heroes, the Crew may only be activated once per round. Take the following steps when activating Crew:
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Select 3 friendly Deployment Points and deploy 2 Deckhands onto each of them. Deploy 2 Bosuns onto any friendly Deployment Points. These Bosuns do not need to be placed on the same Deployment Point- they are deployed as the player wishes.
Note: If a player ever runs out of Deckhands or Bosuns to deploy, they should deploy as many as they can. Once they are all on the game board more cannot be deployed until some have been KO'd!
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In the order of your choosing, execute the following:
- Have your Crew Move and then Attack.
- Fire your Deck Gun.
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Once these steps have been taken, place an Activation Token on your Crew Dashboard to show they have activated this round. Play then passes to your opponent.
Firing Deck Gun
When a player fires their Deck Gun, they make the attack listed under the Deck Gun on their Crew's Dashboard. No one gains coins from Deckhands or Bosuns KO'd by this Attack, but Heroes KO'd still give coins, as explained under Coins For The Taking!
Move and Attack With Crew
First, move all Crew forward 1 zone. If enemy models are in that zone, then Crew will not move. All Crew have a specific track they follow, moving from their Deployment Point to a specific enemy Deployment Point, as laid out in the diagram.
- If Crew begin their activation already next to an enemy, they may choose not to move.
After all Crew have been moved, they will now attack. Each of them may target a different zone, if there are multiple enemies they could attack. Deckhands and Bosuns attack using the profile on your Crew Dashboard.
- Crew must attack if able - they will never hold back.
Onward!!!
If Crew attack a zone and KO all enemies in that zone, and that zone is on their movement track, they will immediately take 1 additional move into that zone (but only move, they will not attack again).
Ransack and Pillage!!!
If Crew would ever move onto an enemy Deployment Point (from having reached the end of their movement track) they have pushed as far onto the enemy ship as they can go, and now disperse in a mad rush of pillaging and ransacking! Remove all Crew from that zone. For each Crew removed, make 1 attack targeting a zone containing an enemy Deck Feature or Hero on that ship. These attacks Hit on a 3+.
Sea Monsters
Sea Monsters are summoned to the fight by the "Sea Monster Attack!" Tide Card. When a Sea Monster is summoned, it is deployed as described on its Dashboard. From then on, it acts like an additional Hero for the player who summoned it (Note: It is NOT a Hero model, however!). The controlling player will activate it just like a Hero, and each Sea Monster gets three actions. KO'ing a Sea Monster works exactly like KO'ing a Hero (See Coins For the Taking, Pg. 15). Multiples of the same Sea Monster cannot be summoned, and once a Sea Monster is KO'd it cannot be re-summoned that game.
Passing
A player must activate all their Heroes, as well as their Crew. If play passes to them, however, and they have activated all models they can, they will Pass. Once a player Passes, their opponent will finish activating all their remaining models, and then the Unleash the Kraken! Phase begins.
Onward!!!
(See above under Activating Crew.)
Unleash the Kraken!
Once all models have activated, players must check to see if the bloodshed and combat has drawn the attention of the Kraken! Perform the following:
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Test the Waters (If the Kraken is already on the board, or has been killed, skip this step). Both players should roll a die and add their results together. If this number is equal to or lower than the total number of Kraken symbols from both player's Kraken Pools combined, the Kraken has been summoned! Take the Kraken tile and place it on the location displayed in the diagram. Any Sea Monster in the Kraken's way when it is deployed is KO'd.
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Kraken Attacks (If the Kraken is not on the board, skip this step). Roll a die to determine what action the Kraken will perform. Each action is described on the Kraken Dashboard.
Once the Kraken has attacked (if it is in play) then the Unleash the Kraken Phase ends and the Recovery Phase begins.
The Kraken (Dashboard)
RAMPAGE: Targets all zones in range (roll once and apply results to all zones). Attack: 6 dice, To Hit 3+, Range 1.
TENTACLE CRUSH: Targets all deployed Heroes (roll separately for each Hero). Hits deal 4 damage, +1 additional damage for each Kraken symbol more your Kraken Pool contains than your opponent's. Attack: 1 die, To Hit 2+, Range unlimited (targets all deployed Heroes).
FURY OF THE LOCKER: After any activation in which the Kraken was damaged. Roll a die. Activate the Kraken on a roll of 4+. It gains +1 to this roll for every 3 damage on it.
When the Kraken is deployed, deal 3 damage to all Heroes whose Kraken Pool has the highest total (or to all Heroes in case of a tie). The Kraken has 16 HP.
Recovery Phase
During the Recovery Phase, both players will take the following steps:
- Discard any Tide Cards they wish from their hand, and then draw until their hand contains 3 Tide Cards.
- If any Heroes have a Dead Man's Coin on the coin side, remove it. Next round, these Heroes may be re-deployed and rejoin the fight!
- If any Heroes have a Dead Man's Coin on the skull side, flip it to the coin side. Unfortunately, these Heroes will be out of play next round while they recover.
- Remove all Activation Tokens from all Heroes who do not have a Dead Man's Coin.
- Finally, pass the First Player Token to the other player on the Score Dashboard.
Once these steps are done, a new round begins. The game will continue until one player has 8 Victory Points, at which time they will be declared the winner.
Alternate Ship Layouts
The Core Rules described in the book define the layouts for playing the Deep Lords against Marea de la Muerte, but expansion factions do not always use these ships! Each Faction has its own type of ship it uses, and as such, many different board configurations can exist.
Layout Key
- Objective Tiles: shown as pink-bordered tile icons.
- Deployment point (Player A): yellow ring.
- Deployment point (Player B): blue ring.
- Checkmark: Place 4 Deckhands at start of game.
- Special Tokens (orange ring): Junk-style ships have special Tokens they utilize. See that specific Faction for details.
Kraken Tile Placement: If the Kraken deploys where a Gangplank is, that Gangplank is destroyed. Immediately replace that Gangplank when the Kraken is KO'd. Any Sea Monster in the Kraken's way when it is deployed is KO'd.
Gallant (x1) - Junk (x3)
Deckhand placement at start of game: Gallant (Player A) Main Mast, Wheel, Rigging Line. Junk (Player B) Ammo Reserves, Armory, Rigging Line.
Long Ship (x2) - Junk (x3)
Deckhand placement at start of game: Long Ship (Player A) Wheel, Rigging Line, Captain's Chest. Junk (Player B) Ammo Reserves, Armory, Rigging Line.
Gallant (x1) - Gallant (x1)
Deckhand placement at start of game: Gallant (Player A) Main Mast, Wheel, Rigging Line. Gallant (Player B) Main Mast, Wheel, Rigging Line.
Long Ship (x1) - Long Ship (x2)
Deckhand placement at start of game: Long Ship 1 (Player A) Wheel, Rigging Line, Captain's Chest. Long Ship 2 (Player B) Wheel, Rigging Line, Captain's Chest.
Roll to determine which Faction will place their ship in the center vs. having their ships on the sides. The center Faction may only have 1 ship, but they have fewer Deck Features for their opponent to destroy!
Junk (x3) - Junk (x3)
Deckhand placement at start of game: Junk (Player A) Ammo Reserves, Armory, Rigging Line. Junk (Player B) Ammo Reserves, Armory, Rigging Line.
If the Kraken is summoned, roll a die. On a 1-3 place it on the top spot on the diagram. On a 4-6 place it on the lower spot on the diagram.
Playing with 3 to 6 Players
Rum & Bones can be played with different numbers of players. This functions much the same as the standard 2-Player game, but has a few new rules, depending on the number of players. Players on the same team are free to share information and make decisions as a team. However, final say over what to do belongs to the player controlling the Hero or card being played.
When playing on teams, all models controlled by your Teammates are Friendly, all models controlled by your opponents are Enemies.
3 Players (2 vs. 1)
Players should first pair off into teams, with 1 team consisting of 2 players and the other of 1 player. Each team should then select a Faction just as you would in a standard game. Unlike standard games, however, the following changes apply:
- The Team of two players will select 3 Heroes. One player will control 2 Heroes, while the other has control of 1 Hero plus the Crew.
- The solo player will select 3 Heroes as normal.
- The Team of two players will each have a hand of 2 Tide Cards each at any time (for a total of 4 Tide Cards).
- The solo player will have a hand of 4 Tide Cards at any time.
- When an Objective is destroyed by the 2 person Team, the Team decides which Hero/Player gains the benefits of that Objective.
4 Players (2 vs. 2)
Players should first pair off into teams of 2. Each team should then select a Faction just as you would in a standard game. Unlike standard games, however, the following changes apply:
- Each player will select 2 Heroes (for a total of four Heroes per team).
- Each player will have a hand of 2 Tide Cards at any time (for a total of 4 Tide Cards per Team).
- Each Team should coordinate when to activate their Crew.
- When an Objective is destroyed, as a Team, players decide which Hero/Player gains the benefits of that Objective.
5 Players (3 vs. 2)
Players should first pair off into teams, with 1 team consisting of 3 players and the other of 2 players. Each team should then select a Faction just as you would in a standard game. Unlike standard games, however, the following changes apply:
- The Team of two players will select 5 Heroes, with one player controlling three Heroes, and the other controlling two Heroes and the Crew.
- The Team of three players will select 5 Heroes, with two players controlling two Heroes each, and one player controlling one Hero and the Crew.
- Players will elect a Team Captain, who will draw 3 Tide Cards. This player controls the Tide Cards for their team.
- When an Objective is destroyed, the Team decides which Hero/Player gains the benefits of that Objective.
6 Players (3 vs. 3)
Players should first pair off into teams of 3. Each team should then select a Faction just as you would in a standard game. Unlike standard games, however, the following changes apply:
- Each Team will select 5 Heroes, with two players controlling two Heroes each, and one player controlling one Hero and the Crew.
- Players will elect a Team Captain, who will draw 3 Tide Cards. This player controls the Tide Cards for their team.
- When an Objective is destroyed, the Team decides which Hero/Player gains the benefits of that Objective.
Alternate Game Modes
Aside from the normal rules for playing Rum & Bones, there are also a few Alternate Rules you can apply to your game.
Clash Royale!
This game mode is intended for 3+ players who wish to have an all-out pirate brawl, rather than the coordinated team effort of normal Rum & Bones multiplayer (not saying this mode can't be enjoyed by 2 players, however!). In Clash Royale players will control two Heroes, fighting across the ships until only one player's Heroes remain. This is a quick and brutal play method intended for bloodthirsty and chaotic fun!
- Set up the game board as shown in the diagram.
- Each player should choose between 1 to 2 Heroes. Normal restrictions on selecting Heroes does not apply; they can be from any Faction in any combination! Note that in this game mode, Deckhands, Bosuns, and Tide Cards are not used, so Heroes with Skills heavily dependent on these elements should not be selected.
- Each Hero will have a number of Lives, represented by Deckhand miniatures on their Hero Dashboard. When a Hero's last Life have been removed, that Hero is eliminated from the game. When only the Heroes controlled by 1 player remain, that player is declared the winner.
- Players should agree on the number of Lives their Heroes will have that game. We recommend choosing between 2-5 Lives for each Hero.
- Players should each roll 2 dice, with the player rolling highest going first.
- Heroes can deploy onto any Deployment Point, represented on the map by Dead Man's Coins, and may also move through and end in zones containing enemy Heroes.
- On a player's turn, they will activate one of their Heroes, taking three actions as normal, before ending their turn. Play will then continue to the player on their left. The following special rules apply:
- When a Hero is KO'd, instead of gaining a Dead Man's Coin, they will lose 1 Life. If they have no Lives left to lose, that Hero is eliminated from the game. This means that Heroes may immediately be redeployed on your turn- they do not have to skip an activation. Note that a Hero still gains 3 coins from KO'ing an enemy Hero, as normal.
- Deck Features may be attacked and destroyed as normal. Each time a Hero damages a Deck Feature, they gain 1 coin per damage dealt. No bonuses or Victory Points are gained when a Deck Feature is destroyed.
- The exception to the above is the Captain's Chest. The Captain's Chest may not be attacked or damaged by any means, but a Hero standing on it may spend 1 Action to gain 3 coins. If a Hero within 1 zone of the Chest KO's an enemy Hero that is standing on the Captain's Chest, they may immediately move onto it for free.
Random Heroes
- Method 1: Instead of selecting Heroes as normal, players are randomly dealt three Heroes from their chosen Faction. These are the Heroes that player will use this game.
- Method 2 (If players have 4+ Mercenary Heroes available): Instead of selecting Heroes as normal. Players are randomly dealt three Heroes from their chosen Faction, as well as two Mercenary heroes (or more, depending on your collection). Each player will assemble their Crew from among the Heroes they have been dealt.
Strange Allies
- Players will select a Faction as normal, but Heroes may be selected from any available Faction. Note: This mode should only be chosen by players in a casual manner, as Tide Decks and Heroes are balanced around the limitations of their Faction + Mercenaries, and the large number of possibilities resulting from utilizing ALL Heroes may lead to some overpowered or unexpected combinations!
- Combine this mode with RANDOM HEROES for a fun and chaotic experience!
Bait, Switch, & Bloody Piracy
By Eric F. Kelley
Captain Carcharius sipped his tea. The Fat Prize wasn't the best tavern in Tortuga, but it catered to his tastes admirably. He'd have preferred a stronger whet, but the coming meeting would require a clear head, and sharp wits.
"Speak of the devil," he muttered. He could hear her approach from half a block away, swearing in Spanish, cursing anyone in her path. A pistol shot rang out with accompanying cry of pain… Yes, it was certainly her. The door burst open and staggered on its hinges. She pointed at Carcharius. "YOU!"
He grinned like only a shark can. "Me."
She stormed to his table and slammed her dagger down before him. "Do you have any idea what that galleon was worth, bastardo a pescado?"
"Aye, Capitan Viana, that I do. It's buying me tea, is it not? The best, from a kelp that grows only near sea vents. Easy enough to find in Atlantis, but come ashore, and—"
Her backhand swept the pot and its contents shattering to the floor. The few patrons made a hasty exit, and the barman slid beneath the counter, eyes huge.
"I should kill you where you sit, saltaste arriba cebo de pesca!"
They kept their eyes locked for a long moment. For just an instant, Carcharius questioned his plan. "This be neutral ground Senora Capitan, let me remind you. Tortuga tis especially important in this time o' trials we all face. But, I can see ye take special issue with this case, an' some conversation be due. Come, let me call for something, eh?"
Her glower could have beat the noonday sun for heat. Finally, she kicked back a chair and sat. "Fine."
Carcharius called over his shoulder, and the barman quickly brought something tasty and toxic to their table and retreated. Capitan Viana barely returned his toast as they drank deeply. "Ahhh," he said, setting the tankard down. "In truth, I'd grown a bit tired of tea."
Capitan Viana didn't hold back. "Jones has been seen on your decks!" It was an accusation, not a question.
Carcharius grinned. "Aye, off and on. He comes and goes, like. Can't seem to put a flipper on him, myself."
"Well, what's his game? Why is his treasure up for grabs? And why the nine devils would he work for you?"
Carcharius shrugged. "If I could answer that, would I be here at all, selling me hard-won treasure to the highest bidders?"
"Do not take me for a fool, senor capitan," she said. "You met with him, and recently. Didn't his sudden return to the land of the living hatch a nest of questions in your head?"
"Well, aye, that it did." Carcharius had to give her that much. "But, I tell ye, pirate to pirate, he wasn't himself."
She paused, tankard almost to her lips. "Explain, senor."
"He was… smaller, if ye take my meaning. A powerful figure on any quarterdeck, make no mistake, but not his old self. As if the old world had finally called back its own, and he were just one of us again. A humble pirate."
She narrowed her eyes. "Why tell me this? Why admit he's not your staunchest ally, your most potent weapon?"
Carcharius grunted. "What good would that do? A good bluff is as good as a win, but, if called, ye lose twice as much. An' it's well known that he no longer holds his treasure." He took a long draw on his mug.
She sat, pensively, and took a draw. Musing, she said, "I wonder why he flung his treasure to the sea."
"I didn't ask."
She looked him in the eye, incredulous. "You should have!"
"Aye, but… almost didn't want to know the answer. An' besides, it's up for grabs. That's all that matters!"
She laughed, a ringing sound from so dangerous a woman. "Ridiculous. Jones is about power. His entire existence has been spent in pursuit of it. He acquired more than any mortal has a right to, and what does he do? Throw it into the sea! Es inconcebible, and yet it happened. I wouldn't have done that. Would you?"
Carcharius grunted. "Nay. Must be a reason, but be damned if I can wrestle it out of the man!"
She went on, "Some reason Indeed. Once you've got the coin, you never give it back. You put it in a bank in a nice dark vault and let it multiply."
He chuckled. "Banks, is it? Now, aren't ye the one most famed for taking down treasure ships? And don't I recall a daring dash up the Thames to rob the Bank of England? Don't seem very safe at all."
She smirked. "Indeed, senor. A tidy profit we made of it too. But not from the robbery alone, oh no. We wiped out all the accounts, ours included, collected the insurance, and then deposited the whole lot straight back in! Ha! How's that for piracy?"
Carcharius finished his drink with a long draught to wash the bad taste from his mouth. "'Insurance', 'deposits', 'interest'…. Doesn't sound very piratey to me."
The smirk was still there. "Believe me, it's the piracy of the future." She rose and dropped a few coins on the table.
"Nay, nay," he protested. "The drinks be on me. With such a prize in the harbor, I can well afford it." His grin was as good as a leer.
She answered with a grin of her own. "I think it's you that will be needing a touch of charity until the Hydra returns, senor. My own crew secured your prize not half a glass ago."
"What!? Impossible!!" He shot to his feet. "And ye would dare violate the neutrality? The accords signed by one and all??"
Her grin widened, and for a moment he felt his own predatory nature taken aback. "Captain Charcarius, my dear," she said. "You were never very good at contracts, were you? The accords apply only to our own vessels. Not prizes."
His jaw worked over a few unuttered replies before finally breaking into a smile. "Well played, Senora Capitan. Until next time."
She saluted and departed. He called for another tankard, and brooded. Jones…. Jones….
Deep Lords Hero Bios
Captain - Carcharius, The Red Tide
"Any predator can lay an ambush, mateys. I make it an art."
Captain Carcharius can smell gold in the drink as easily as he can blood. In a crowded convoy, he'll always find the deepest-laden treasure ship. On a desolate coast, he'll find the hidden smuggling cove. In the trackless seas, he'll always pick the exact moment to rise up on an unsuspecting galleon. While treasure is a fine pursuit in itself, and the power in Davy Jones' gold is a justifiable end of its own accord, Carcharius truly desires to return Atlantis to its former glory. To see the ancient kingdom once more ascend to power would be his greatest wish.
Brute - Ishmael, Titan of the Depths
"First lines are the worst. 'Call me John…' No. 'Call me James…' No. 'Call me crazy?' Better, but no…."
When Ishmael is not figuring the ship's books or penning his own poetic thoughts, he's nose-deep in a novel or scientific paper. Aside from his size, Ishmael would be quite at home in any university or observatory. Indeed, he'd have been a candidate for tenure at the Atlantean colleges, if not for his desire to see the world. One might wonder at a scholar taking to piracy, but Ishmael is studying the adage that "good authors borrow while great authors steal." If his success with the Deep Lords is any indicator, Ishmael may be the greatest author of his time.
Gunner - Kyria & Karl, Deep Lords Artillery
"Did you know that this 'wood' stuff will burn from simple heat? And that it just grows out of the ground up here?? Amazing!"
Kyria Celaeno takes a great delight in chemistry, alchemy, and rendering substances down to their base elements. Obviously surface fire doesn't burn beneath the waves, forcing ancient Atlanteans to invent the pasty, sticky liquid fire. Of course, now that they spend so much time near the surface, Kyria's been having too much fun with the fabled "wood fire" of men. Her faithful friend is Karl, whose thick shell makes the perfect mobile mount for her unique spearfish-gun. They share far too many inside jokes, the two of them laughing delightedly amid the clash of steel and the roar of cannons.
Swashbuckler - Snapjaw, Blademaster of Tortuga
"No, turtle soup is not me specialty, mate. Now shove off, afore I serve up yer fins for the captain's mess!"
Snapjaw has good cause to be testy. In Atlantean society, there aren't many shell-folk, and as such, he's kind of a loner. As the ship's cook, he made the bad joke one day that if he ever ran out of fish, he could always serve out one of the crew. The resulting requests for turtle steak, turtle bread, and turtle soup have been unending. It's all in honest fun and has yet to turn bloody. This is fortunate for the crew, as few are as violent, fearsome, and deadly as Snapjaw when he unsheathes his blades and goes to work.
Quartermaster - Waldorf, The Accursed Wanderer
"The grin be what ye'd call compulsory, mate."
The very first ship the Deep Lords encountered and summarily assaulted belonged to the Bone Devils. The battle proved a stalemate between monsters, and Waldorf was captured. He awoke in his current state, somewhere between life and death. It's a favorite recruitment technique for the Bone Devils. As an undead, what other crew would have you? They did not count on Waldorf's loyalty to Atlantis, nor in Captain Carcharius' thirst for revenge. On the following assault, Waldorf switched sides suddenly, and carried the day for the Deep Lords. He sails now searching for a way to lift his curse.
Marea de la Muerte Hero Bios
Captain - Viana, The Avarice Seeker
"Coin needs only the right environment to thrive and multiply, whether that be in a vault, or on the sea floor."
Elena Viana learned everything about gold from her banker father. When the loss of a single shipment ruined her father's business, she argued that he'd been a fool to place so much in one vessel and vowed revenge on the pirates. She was incredibly successful, seizing command of the very pirates she had been hunting after making their former captain walk the plank. Since then she has brought the Marea de la Muerte vast success, creating a great pirate armada. Captain Viana would give anything to find truly legendary treasure, and the loot from the Locker could be exactly that.
Brute - Don Santiago, The Fisher Lord
"You'd be surprised how much coin you can find in these beasties' bellies."
There's nothing noble about Don Santiago, but his mastery of all things aquatic is legendary up and down the coastline. It is said that he's fished, harpooned, or netted nearly every species of thing that swims or crawls in the brine, and is the only man who claims to have arm-wrestled the Kraken and won. While sea tales and dockside bragging are the norm for pirates, there's plenty of proof in Don Santiago's claims. He ships with the Marea de la Muerte as an opportunity to hunt what he calls 'big game', and perhaps for another match against the Kraken.
Gunner - Gabriela, The Alchemist Queen
"Got a light?"
Daughter of a naval powder miller, Gabriela has been around gunpowder and the sea her entire life. Her fascination with the powder brought about an untimely and explosive end to her family business late one stormy night. Exiling herself in shame, Gabriela has hired out her services to the Marea de la Muerte, where she serves aboard the Fénix as master gunner. She sends her family half her loot at every port, hoping to go home one day. Pirates and their life have been good for her, allowing her to explore a previously restrained need for fire and smoke.
Swashbuckler - DeMarco, The Blade Dancer
"You're thinking of that other man. That poor, unfortunate, loveless man…. He is not me!"
DeMarco refuses to say what brought him to the Marea de la Muerte. Not much of a sailor, DeMarco is employed primarily as Captain Viana's bodyguard, a task for which he is eminently suited, as he can blend into any role she requires, whether that be a dockside ruffian or a noble man-of-the-world at a public reception gala. DeMarco greatly respects that he is not pressed by his fellow Marean crewmen for details of his past, though one wonders to what distant shore he gazes so longingly every dawn and dusk on particularly blustery days at sea.
Quartermaster - El Latigo, Cruel Taskmaster
"Why even put the cat in the bag? It has a thousand uses."
El Látigo joined the Marea de la Muerte a decade ago after fighting for his homeland's independence. During the height of the conflict, his people were betrayed, and he fled for his life. He has since found the closest thing to true freedom and independence with the Marea de la Muerte. His nickname, "the Whip", stems not only from his signature weapon but his incredible skill employing it as a last resort disciplinary tool. With pirates, one must show discretion when deciding between the velvet glove and the iron fist. Bunkrooms are too small to make real enemies on board.
Rules Summary
Round Summary
- Beginning with first player, alternate activation of Heroes and/or Crew, until all Heroes and Crew have activated.
- Unleash the Kraken Phase.
- Recovery Phase.
- New Round begins.
Play continues until 1 player gains 8 Victory Points.
Hero Activation
- 3 Actions Total. Available Actions are Using a Skill (Attack Skill or Ability Skill) or taking a Move Action.
- Move Actions grants 2 movement points used to either move to 1 adjacent zone or Rig.
- Skills may be purchased or Leveled Up anytime during a Hero's activation. This does not cost an Action.
- Once 3 Actions have been made (or that Hero forfeits any remaining Actions), their activation ends and opponent will then activate a Hero or Crew.
Coins for the Taking!
Anytime a Hero KO's a Deckhand or Bosun, they gain 1 coin.
Anytime a Hero KO's an enemy Hero, they gain 3 coins, and their Faction is awarded 1 Victory Point. Note this IS NOT taken from the KO'd enemy, merely awarded to the attacking Hero from the communal pile.
If a Hero is KO'd by an effect or Attack that did not originate from an enemy Hero (such as Crew Attacking, a Condition, or from a Tide Card) then each enemy Hero gains 1 coin, and their Faction is awarded 1 Victory Point.
Crew Activation
- Deploy 2 Deckhands on 3 friendly Deployment Points.
- Deploy 2 Bosuns on any friendly Deployment Points (2 Bosuns total).
- In order of player choosing, Fire Deck Gun and Move and Attack with Crew.
- All friendly Crew move 1 zone along their track and then All friendly Crew Attack.
Onward!!!
If Crew attack a zone and KO all enemies in that zone, and that zone is on their movement track, they will immediately take 1 additional move into that zone (but only move, they will not attack again).
Ransack and Pillage!!!
If Crew would ever move onto an enemy Deployment Point (from having reached the end of their movement track) they have pushed as far onto the enemy ship as they can go, and now disperse in a mad rush of pillaging and ransacking! Remove all Crew from that zone. For each Crew removed, make 1 attack targeting a zone containing an enemy Deck Feature or Hero on that ship. These attacks Hit on a 3+.
Unleash the Kraken!
- If the Kraken is not on the board, roll 2 dice and add results together. If the result is equal to or lower than the total Kraken Points in both players' Pools, deploy the Kraken.
- If the kraken is on the board, it activates. Roll a die and check its Dashboard to see what it does.
Recovery Phase
- Both players may discard any Tide Cards they wish, and then draw until their hand contains 3 Tide Cards.
- If any Heroes have a Dead Man's Coin on the coin side, remove that Dead Man's Coin.
- If any Heroes have a Dead Man's Coin on the skull side, flip it to the coin side.
- Move First Player Token on the Score Dashboard.
Attacking
Choose a zone within range of the attack and roll the number of dice listed. Any result equal to or higher than the To Hit number is a Hit. Any result lower is a Miss. Hits are assigned in priority order:
1. Deckhands 2. Bosuns 3. Heroes 4. Objectives
- BLIND: Hero's Attacks suffer -1 To Hit.
- STUN: Hero must forfeit 1 Action to remove this Token before taking any other Action.
- SLOW: Hero may only take 1 Move Action during their turn.
- SILENCE: Hero may not Level Up Skills, and all Skills lose all effects.
- BLEED: Hero suffers 1 damage after each action they make.
Sea Monsters
Sea Monsters are summoned to the fight by the "Sea Monster Attack!" Tide Card. When a Sea Monster is summoned, it is deployed as described on its Dashboard. From then on, it acts like an additional Hero for the player who summoned it (Note: It is NOT a Hero model, however!). The controlling player will activate it just like a Hero, and each Sea Monster gets three actions. KO'ing a Sea Monster works exactly like KO'ing a Hero. Multiples of the same Sea Monster cannot be summoned, and once a Sea Monster is KO'd it cannot be re-summoned that game.